


I Told You So

by Bittersweet



Series: 30 Days of One Shots [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Anaheim Ducks, Angst with a Happy Ending, Getzlaf gives good advice, M/M, Vancouver Canucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2015-06-02
Packaged: 2018-04-02 13:17:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4061440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bittersweet/pseuds/Bittersweet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Ducks playoff run comes to an end. Kesler hopes it's not too late to save his relationship with Burrows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Told You So

He had come to Anaheim to win the cup. Missing it by so little was a blow and he could tell that the rest of the guys in the room felt it as well as they packed up their stuff to head home after the abrupt end to their season.

He had given up a lot to be here. He knew his teammates from Vancouver had understood in the hockey sense, that was the nature of the game, but as his friends he knew there was some bad blood left between them. And Alex. He closed his eyes as he remembered the look on his boyfriend’s face when he had told him he was leaving. He had done all of that and he didn’t even have anything to show that it had been worth it.

“Hey.”

Ryan jumped a little as Getzlaf dropped onto the bench beside him. “Hey,” he answered looking around the locker room, surprised that they were the last two there.

“Thinking about the game?”

Ryan shook his head. “Wondering how I’ve managed to make such a mess of my life,” he said ruefully. He rubbed his forehead tiredly. “I burned a lot of bridges that I wish I hadn’t when I left the Canucks."

Getzlaf shrugged. “So apologize.”

“It’s not that simple,” Ryan protested. “We haven’t really talked since I left aside from public relations “we’re all still friends” crap. What if they don’t forgive me? What if they’ve moved on and don’t need me anymore?” That was his real fear, that Alex would look at him and tell him that he didn’t matter to him anymore.

“Call your boy Kes,” Getzlaf said punching Ryan’s shoulder lightly. “Alex cares about you.” He stood up and left the room.

Ryan stared after him. He guessed he hadn’t been being exactly inscrutable saying it was the team he was worried about but it was strange that Getzlaf had known who he was talking about. How could he know if Alex cared about him? He pulled his phone out and stared at Alex’s number indecisively.

 

Alex had just gotten back to his apartment after a long run and was striping off his sweaty clothes to take a shower when his doorbell rang. He groaned, considered ignoring it, and walked over to answer it, wearing just his track pants. He pulled the door open and stared in shock at the man standing there, duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

“Hi,” Kesler said smiling nervously.

Alex started to slam the door shut but Kesler got his shoulder in the way, wincing as the door hit him.

“I deserved that,” Kesler said rubbing his shoulder.

“Yeah, you did,” Alex said glaring. He sighed. “Come in. I’ll get you some ice. What are you doing here?” he asked when they were in the kitchen, Kesler sitting at the table holding an icepack against his shoulder.

“I was going to call you,” Kesler said nervously as Alex crossed his arms and glared at him from where he was leaning against the counter. “But I thought you might hang up on me.”

Alex snorted.

“I’m sorry Alex. I got so caught up in chasing the cup that I was willing to give up everything that mattered to me.”

Alex stared at him in shock. Had Ryan Kesler just apologized to him? He didn’t think he’d ever heard him say he was sorry about anything before.

“I know it’s a lot to ask but do you think, if you can forgive me, that we could try it again?” Kelser stared at him pleadingly.

“Of course I forgive you Ryan,” Alex said, his anger deflating. “It was never…I just. Look, let me get cleaned up and then we can talk all right?” Kesler nodded eagerly and Alex headed back to the shower.

 

“How did you know?” Ryan asked when Getzlaf picked up his call.

Getzlaf laughed. “I take it you guys worked it out?”

“Kind of,” Ryan said. He was staying at a hotel in Vancouver but Alex was talking to him again and they had plans to go out for coffee tomorrow. “Alex wants to take things slow but I think I’ve got a shot at winning him back. How did you know it was him?”

“He told me,” Getzlaf answered. “When we played in the IIHF together a few years ago.”

“Oh.” That actually made a lot of sense.

“Plus the look on your face any time you mentioned him. You’d have to be blind not to realize how you felt about him,” he teased.

Ryan rolled his eyes. “All right,” he said smiling. “Well thank you.”

“No problem. Hey Ryan?”

Ryan stopped as he had been about to end the call. “Yeah?”

“I told you so.”


End file.
